The present invention relates generally to a bicycle freecoaster hub and, more particularly, to a bicycle freecoaster hub having an adjustable gap so that the response of the hub can be changed.
For doing tricks with BMX freestyle bicycles it is helpful if the response of the hub can be adjusted.
The purpose of adjusting the gap on a freecoaster hub is to change the response/sensitivity of the hub to one's needs. By removing some of the internal gap washers the amount of travel between turning the crank arm and the clutch engaging increases, this also means that when freecoasting backwards there is a greater amount of movement allowed in the cranks before the clutch engages. Also by increasing the amount of internal gap spacers the amount of travel between turning the crank arm and the clutch engaging decreases, this means that when freecoasting backwards there is a lesser amount of movement allowed in the cranks before the clutch engages.
To change the response, the following steps are usually necessary:
1. Disassemble the axle adapter.
2. The sprocket/driver must be removed by turns now.
3. Hold the hub with the side where the sprocket was removed showing upwards. Take a plastic hammer and hit the axle carefully. The axle including the inner parts will come out of the hub shell slowly. Do not take a steel/metal hammer, the axle will be destroyed. The only way getting the axle and the inner parts out of the hub is the former described way. The other way round will destroy parts of the freecoaster.
4. After the axle is removed the bearing must be disassembled. Disassemble the bearing carefully by pulling/pushing it at the inner ring.
5. The delivered spacers can be assembled or assembled spacers can be disassembled now. The more spacer are assembled, the quicker the coaster responds.
6. Reassemble the hub step by step. Take care of the bearings, don't hit the outer ring.
This above-mentioned procedure is quite tiresome, and, further, the hub might be damaged by the disassembling and assembling the hub or by dirt coming inside the hub when assembling. Further, in case the wrong number of spacers is removed or added, or spacers with the wrong thickness are removed or added, the whole procedure has to be repeated until the required response is adjusted.
The UK Patent Application GB 2 372 545 A discloses a bicycle freecoaster hub for BMX bicycles. Said a freecoaster hub has a body having mounted thereto an external cone clutch plate which engages with a mating cone clutch plate fixed to a chain driven cog via a clutch driver. When the cog is rotated, by pedaling in a direction to drive the bicycle forward, screw threads on the clutch driver cause matching screw threads on the clutch plate to move the clutch plate axially along the axle into engagement with the clutch plate so as to rotate the hub body. If pedaling stops the clutch plates are disengaged thereby enabling the cog and the hub body to revolve independently of one another so that a rear wheel fixed to the hub body can rotate in either direction without causing a crank and pedals to move. The clutch plates and driver are mounted on the axle in such a way that they may be readily removed without disturbing the hub body or clutch plate. No adjustability of the maximum gap between the cone clutch plates is provided by this assembly.
It is, therefore, a need for an easy change of the maximum gap, being equivalent to the response of a freecoaster hub. It is the objective of the present invention to provide such a freecoaster hub.